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East Iceland

Drive through in one long day only if you start early; give it 2 nights to see the fjords, Stuðlagil and Hengifoss without rushing.

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Key facts · Iceland

Best months
Jun–Aug
Visa
Depends on your passport
Currency
Icelandic króna (ISK, kr)
Language
Icelandic
Plugs
C · F · 230 V
Time zone
GMT all year
Month by month hereIn detail ↓
Rules in force · 7Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Nordic countries ↗Decide light or dark before anything else: summer trips (June–August) and aurora trips (September–March in the Arctic) need different countries, clothes and bases.
  • Nordic countries ↗Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroes sell stronger alcohol only in state shops with short hours; buy before evening and before Sundays and holidays.
  • Iceland ↗Iceland is not in the EU but is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources.
  • Iceland ↗Driving off marked roads is illegal and fined heavily; F-roads into the highlands open only in summer and require a 4x4.
  • Iceland ↗Check the road authority's conditions map and the Met Office forecast every morning, and leave a travel plan on SafeTravel for hikes and remote drives.

East Iceland (Austurland) is the stretch of the Ring Road between Höfn and Mývatn, and it is where most Ring Road drivers run out of daylight. The south-east is a thin shelf of sand and glacier below Vatnajökull; the centre is a knot of fjord villages; inland Hérað is farmland around Lagarfljót lake, and it is one of the warmest corners of Iceland in summer. Two nights here turns a transit day into the best-value stop on the loop.

Where to sleep

3 places in this region

Sleep base

  • EgilsstaðirCity guide

    Inland hub by Lagarfljót; airport, buses, food and the base for Hengifoss, Stuðlagil and Hallormsstaðaskógur.

    Best Jun–Aug

    Open Egilsstaðir →

  • HöfnCity guide

    South-east base under Vatnajökull; the region's one natural harbour and the link to Jökulsárlón.

    Best Feb–Mar, Jun–Aug, Oct

    Open Höfn →

Day trip

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

1 nights
Höfn 1 — glacier lagoon and the south-east coast, then drive on
2 nights
Höfn 1 + Egilsstaðir 1 — the minimum that covers the south-east and Hérað
3 nights
Höfn 1 + Egilsstaðir 2 — adds Seyðisfjörður and a fjord village without a long driving day
  • Höfn to Egilsstaðir is about 2.5 hours of driving without stops; with Stuðlagil or Hengifoss it becomes a full day.
  • The fjord roads off Route 1 dead-end; each detour costs you the drive back out.
  • Reindeer are on and beside the road in the east — slow down, especially at dusk.

Day-trips door to door

ToFromDoor-to-door p50Last returnNote
SeyðisfjörðurEgilsstaðir30 minunknownRoad 93 climbs over a pass; in winter check it is open before setting out.
Stuðlagil canyonEgilsstaðir60 minunknownBasalt columns on road 923; the last stretch is gravel.
HengifossEgilsstaðir40 minunknownWaterfall on the west side of Lagarfljót; the walk up takes about an hour each way.
Vatnajökull National ParkHöfn80 minunknownGlacier tongues and the Jökulsárlón area; go early, the car parks fill in July and August.

Bags between cities

No luggage forwarding network here; you carry your bags between stops. Pack for one night out of the car if you plan a fjord detour.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
CountryJFMAMJJASOND
Egilsstaðir
Höfn
Seyðisfjörður
Iceland (country-wide)
Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month
ZoneJFMAMJJASOND
South-east coast (Höfn)Sand and glacier shelf below Vatnajökullcoldcoldcoldokokbestbestbestokokcoldcold
Hérað and the East FjordsInland around Lagarfljót and the fjord villagescoldcoldcoldokokbestbestbestokokcoldcold
best: dry, mildok: workable
South-east coast (Höfn)
Wettest and windiest part of the region; fog and rain off the glacier are common even in July.
Hérað and the East Fjords
Sheltered inland and among the warmest places in Iceland in summer; fjord villages are cooler and windier.

The Ring Road through the east is a summer drive. In winter, mountain passes close and the unpaved sections need real caution; build in a spare day.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate
FromToHowp50Note
Reykjavík (domestic)EgilsstaðirIcelandair domestic flight~1 h in the airThe fast option if you are not doing the full Ring Road; check the current schedule.
Reykjavík (Mjódd)HöfnStrætó long-distance bus~7 hBuses from the south terminate at Höfn; from the north they terminate at Egilsstaðir. Check the current timetable.
AkureyriEgilsstaðirStrætó bus 56~4 hConnects the north to the east; check the current timetable.
Hirtshals, DenmarkSeyðisfjörðurSmyril Line car ferry~2 days at seaWeekly sailing; the only ferry into the region. Book cabins and vehicle space ahead.
South IcelandHöfnRoute 1 east from Vík~4 h 30 from VíkThe classic approach; add Jökulsárlón on the way.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Strætisvagnar Austurlands (SVAust)

check

East Iceland is not covered by the national Strætó network; the municipalities run their own buses. Check routes and days before relying on them.

Rental car

buy

The only practical way to see the fjords, Stuðlagil and Hengifoss on your own schedule. Check whether your insurance covers gravel-road damage.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works
DishWhereTiming / trap
Langoustine (humarsúpa and grilled tails)HöfnThe town's signature; book a table in July and August.
Fish and lamb, farm-to-tableEgilsstaðir and the fjord villagesVillage kitchens close early outside summer; eat before 20:00.
Local beerBreiðdalsvík (Beljandi) and Egilsstaðir (Askur Taproom)The region's two breweries; taproom hours are limited.

Go next

North Iceland

Route 1 north past Mývatn, ~3 h from Egilsstaðir

Mývatn and Húsavík are the natural next stop on the Ring Road.

South Iceland

Route 1 west from Höfn, ~4 h 30 to Vík

Jökulsárlón and the south coast waterfalls are on the way.

Höfn

On Route 1 in the south-east

Glacier country base; one night is enough for most.

Egilsstaðir

Inland Hérað, on Route 1

The region's transport and services hub.

Seyðisfjörður

planned

Road 93 from Egilsstaðir, ~30 min

Fjord village and ferry port; worth a night if you have time.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep
2 bases
Day trips
4, 30 min to 1 h 20
Nights suggested
1–3 nights
Ways in
5 listed
Best months
Jun–Aug (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Open Iceland Up to Iceland

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

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